A woman has died in east London after eating a suspected “cannabis sweet”.
The 23-year-old from Ilford bought the “gummies” via a messaging app on her phone and they were delivered to her home in Ilford on 29 March, the Metropolitan police said. The sweets came in packaging branded “Trrlli Peachie O’s”.
The woman and her 21-year-old friend ate one each and immediately became ill. Paramedics were called to the house on the same night, and the two women were taken to hospital.
Despite treatment the 23-year-old, who has not yet been named, died on 2 April. A postmortem is still to take place. Her friend has been discharged from hospital.
Leon Brown, 37, from Croydon, has been charged with possession with intent to supply a class B synthetic cannabidoid, being concerned in the supply of a synthetic cannabinoid and possession with intent to supply a psychoactive substance. He was arrested on Friday in connection with the death.
Scotland Yard said he was found in possession of a large quantity of money and what were believed to be edible cannabis products. He was to appear at Barkingside magistrates court on Monday.
Some of the sweets have been recovered and are now being tested. Officers believe the case could be linked to another incident in March in which a woman was taken to hospital after eating a cannabis sweet in nearby Tower Hamlets.
She has since been discharged, but an investigation is under way to find out whether the sweet was from the same batch involved in the Ilford death, and to examine whether there are any other similar incidents.
Ch Supt Stuart Bell said: “I must warn the public against taking any illegal substances, including those packaged in the form of cannabis sweets.”
He urged people to come forward with any information about people selling similar products.
Parents have previously been warned about sweets laced with cannabis after they found their way into the hands of children.
Two 13-year-old boys were taken to hospital in Merseyside in July last year after eating sweets, and detectives in Greater Manchester told parents to be on alert during Halloween season trick-or-treating.
• The headline and standfirst of this article was amended on 4 April 2022 to clarify that the sweet was believed to be a synthetic cannabinoid.
